We all know that women make up 1/2 the human resources on planet earth. So is there any reasonable response, other than outrage, at the ample evidence that women, with vicious regularity, suffer disproportionately at human hands?

Let’s just parse an article in the New York Times on the recent Afghan election, shall we?

“A particular concern was the notably low turnout of women, who election observer organizations said were disproportionately affected by the violence and intimidation.”

“Hundreds of polling stations for women (stations throughout the country were segregated to keep men and women from publicly mingling) did not even open in some areas where Taliban influence is high, but women also suffered discrimination and intimidation in some places in central and northern Afghanistan. Female candidates received threats and were largely ignored in news coverage of the elections, the observers said.”

‘The disproportionate effects of poor security conditions, widespread cultural opposition to women in public life and a number of attacks clearly aimed at deterring women’s activities all created significant obstacles,’ the European Union observer mission said in its preliminary statement on Saturday.”

For the first time in 1000 years, women will be allowed in the vicinity of these artworks.

Take home:
“The original decree banning women, and female animals (except cats, which help control the rat population), from the enclave was issued by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachos in 1045. Under Greek law, a breach of the ban by a woman can still lead to a jail sentence. The ban on female animals is enforced as strictly as possible. The monks maintain that the presence of women slows their path towards spiritual enlightenment. ”

Perhaps someone realized that the “A” in the A train to enlightenment does not stand for apartheid.

The take-home:
“Empirical studies on gender and judging so far have been inconclusive. But in an award-winning 2008 paper titled “Untangling the Causal Effects of Sex on Judging,” Washington University’s Christina L. Boyd and Andrew D. Martin and Northwestern School of Law’s Lee Epstein suggest that women judges really are different. Surveying sex-discrimination suits resolved by panels of judges in federal circuit courts between 1995 and 2002, they examined whether male and female judges rule alike, and whether the presence of a woman on a panel affects the behavior of her male colleagues. Here’s what they found: male judges were 10 percent more likely to rule against alleged sex-discrimination victims, and male judges were “significantly more likely” to rule in their favor if a woman judge was on the panel.

Because Epstein, Boyd and Martin were only studying sex-discrimination cases, it’s unclear whether their data would hold true in cases where gender was beside the point. Still, its intriguing that male judges rule differently when they’re sharing the bench with a woman: it suggests female moral reasoning—if such a thing exists—might be contagious.”

Take home quotes:
Akala, a widow, 38
“A woman cannot live by herself. A woman cannot rent a house by herself. If she doesn’t have any money, she and her children will be ridiculed by society and if she does have money, her property will be seized. She will have neither good health nor a good life. And every moment of her life it is in danger.”

Fatima Galani
“I want to be one of those people who have changed this…”

What’s the point?

This mission of this blog is to collect and publish data that supports the case that the world is unfair for girls and to highlight progress that is being made in redressing that sorry state of affairs.
What does unfairness mean? In too many parts of the world, girls have unequal access to education, unequal rights and privileges under the law and fewer opportunities to pursue happy, meaningful and productive lives than their male peers. My hope is that if you spend any time reading here you will also feel inspired to join 5 for Fairness, a non-profit experiment in social philanthropy dedicated to fostering fairness for girls worldwide.
If you know of credible research, papers, links or articles that you that you think should be included in this blog - or non-profit efforts you feel deserve support - please email me at 5forFairness AT gmail.com.
Thank you.